Pogacar Wins Dauphine Opener, Leads Vingegaard by Four Seconds

Tadej Pogacar secured a thrilling victory over Jonas Vingegaard in the opening stage of the Criterium du Dauphine, a key precursor to the Tour de France. The stage featured a late breakaway with Pogacar, Vingegaard, Remco Evenepoel, Mathieu van der Poel, and others, culminating in a sprint finish where Pogacar prevailed and took the overall lead by four seconds. Vingegaard, although disappointed to lose time to Pogacar, remains optimistic about his chances, believing he has improved significantly since last year and claiming an edge in an undisclosed area ahead of the Tour de France. Both riders have dominated recent Tours, with Pogacar winning in 2020, 2021, and 2024, and Vingegaard in 2022 and 2023, setting the stage for another intense rivalry. The Dauphine's challenging route, including hilly stages and a time trial, is expected to offer a strong indication of form before the Tour de France begins on July 5. Vingegaard, recovering from last year's setbacks, asserts that he now competes on more equal terms with Pogacar and is confident in his ability to challenge for the Tour title this year.